If you’re meeting this person for a first date, or even if you’ve just been introduced, smile. It can do you a lot of good.

It’s a lot more comforting for a girl to be around someone who isn’t a brooding freak from Hell Boy. Make her appreciate the fact that you’re around her.

Don’t pick ‘em up

You may think it’s cool to use pick up lines or wise one-liners at the start or when you run out of things to say, but hold on to your horses.

There aren’t too many men who have been able to boast about the perfect fairytale romance with a woman, especially when their conversation started with something like “If you and I were squirrels, could I bust a nut in your hole?”

If you’ve always wondered what what to talk about on a first date or the first few minutes after meeting her, here are a few pointers that you could use. And if you know how to work your way around these simple questions, you could probably have enough to talk about, for the whole day. And she’d love you and be impressed by you, definitely!

#1 I’m so happy to see you

So you bump in or pull a chair back for her on your first date, good. The first thing you elaborate about after both of you are ready to talk is this one line. Talk about how happy you are to see her, or how nice it is to have bumped in to her. It’s just a sentence, yes, but one that warms both of you up for the good things to come. [Read: Perfect questions to ask on a first date]

#2 I love that!

So she looks great. You’re all giddy with excitement to be around her. So tell her about it. Saying “you look great!” is a dull compliment. Go one step further.

Is it her hair? Her dress? Or is it something else that you can mention on a first date? Complimenting your date tells her that the effort she’s taken has been noticed and appreciated. If she’s wearing a red dress, you could mention the detail about red being your favorite color, or something along those lines.

#3 On my way here

Did you have a long day at work, or were you unexpectedly delayed? Or did you notice anything fascinating on the way to see her? A glorious sunset that reminded you of her beautiful face, perhaps? Talk about anything interesting that happened to you on the way. [Read: Best places to go on a date]

That’s a few good minutes to charm her and keep the conversation going. And she too might add in a few details about anything interesting she saw on her way to the date.

#4 How was your day?

Show your interest in her life within the first few minutes of the date by speaking about her day. Not only will that keep the conversation light and friendly, it can open up details for a lot more things to ask as the date progresses. And she would feel nice when she sees that her date is quite interested in her everyday life.

#5 Look around you

You’d probably have a lot of things to talk about by now, but in case you still haven’t been able to pick pointers, look around you and talk about something interesting. If you’re at a restaurant, you could talk about why you like the place, an incident that occurred there, about the ambience, or just about anything else. Read these great tips on how to pick the perfect restaurant for a date .

Likewise, talk about something that’s taken your fancy wherever you are, even if you aren’t at a restaurant. But don’t ever talk about other people who are around. That would only sound nosy and gossipy. That’s alright if you know her already though.

#6 Sweet sweet memories

Can you recollect anything interesting or funny? Remember, as much as knowing what to talk about on a first date is about pleasing the girl, it’s a lot more about blowing your own trumpet and bragging to impress her. Discreetly, of course.

You do have to impress her, right? So recollect a few funny incidents that you could narrate to her, and maybe she too may have a few pointers to add. But never let that drawl on and on past the entrées, the main course, and the dessert. No fascinating anecdote should be longer than a minute or two, unless of course, her eyes have lit up like the floodlights at a football stadium!

Along with these tips on what to talk about on a first date with a girl, you can also read this feature on how to get a girl to like you to polish yourself up for one of the best sweet talking dates of your life!